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Michelle Williams, John Robinson (IX), Will Oldham, Will Patton, Larry Fessenden ... see more see more... , Walter Dalton , Lucy the Dog , David Koppell , Max Clement , Sid Shanley , Dave Hubner , Michelle Worthy , Roger Faires , Boggs Johnson , Tanya Smith

Old Joy director Kelly Reichardt crafts this intimate tale of Wendy, an alienated Indiana woman who packs up her car and sets her sights on Alaska, but finds herself stranded in a small Oregon town wi... read more read more...th no money and only her faithful dog, Lucy, to keep her company. When Wendy realizes that there's nothing keeping her in her home state of Indiana, she makes the decision to relocate to Alaska and seek out work at the local fish cannery. With her four-legged friend Lucy in the passenger seat next to her, Wendy stops off to get some rest in a small Oregon town. The following morning, when Wendy attempts to start her car, the engine fails to respond. But this is only the first in a series of snowballing events, because as Wendy waits for the local garage to open she heads to the supermarket to pick up some dog food for Lucy. Opting to shoplift the puppy chow since she doesn't have much cash to speak of, Wendy subsequently finds herself in the local jail thanks to an overzealous employee. By the time Wendy pays her fine and gets back to the supermarket, Lucy is gone. Unfortunately the dog pound doesn't open until the following morning, and after receiving some help from a kindly local, Wendy gets some particularly bad news about her car. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

64% liked it

10,854 ratings

Critics

85% liked it

148 critics

R, 1 hr. 20 min.

Directed by: Kelly Reichardt

Release Date: May 22, 2008

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DVD Release Date: May 5, 2009

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Stats: 1,100 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,100)

  • FrizzDrop
    March 22, 2012
    FrizzDrop
    There isn't much to this film in that it has a stable plot or can carry a story. It's more a portrait of a sad lonely, pathetically poor girl who can't catch a break no matter what. It really is a heart wrenching film because of the time it was set and the probable fact that many... read more people have gone through this phase of life and have been met with a cool, cruel world. Wendy has very little money, no job, and a car that is giving her trouble. One mistake prompts an avalanche of bad luck from the dinky Oregon town where she is stranded. One user has commented that she finds the townspeople to be kind in the face of the disparity of her situation, and she in turn should be kind. I'm not sure if this film is trying to be at all uplifting or commenting on people still having empathy during any economic crisis or for people suffering through it. It's more just about Wendy as a person, the trials of her life, and the sacrifices she has to make to survive, some of them heartbreaking to watch. She gives up all sense of pride in this film and comes out looking more saddened than anything. People in our country were one paycheck away from living on the streets as of 2008, and even today, so this film is full of commentary on the state of our nation. More importantly though, this film is timeless because of the empathy any of us feel for another human being and the struggles we all must go through in order to survive. Wendy does survive, and most of the film reflects her solidarity, her losses, and isolation. Overall I found this to be more of a downer than anything, with a strong performance from Michelle Williams, as she again exhibits all the qualities of the great actress she is. Worth seeing, no matter what year it is.
  • moonrivers
    February 9, 2012
    moonrivers
    A couple of days in the life on the margins of society as a young woman goes through some hardship while on the road in Oregon. Michelle Williams is haunting in this quiet little piece that sings true ... while not being for everyone's taste.
  • imrealgod
    October 25, 2011
    imrealgod
    Looking at the rating of the movie, it seems that (not surprisingly) I failed to comprehend the movie. Except for the protagonists and less than one handful of scenes, there absolutely was nothing that pleased me. I felt as if Lucy's mystery would land me into an interesting slo... read moret (agreed, my fault; but then waiting with nothing in hand, I thought this as hell might be it), but having seen it now, I'm blank as to what I was supposed to look forward to in the story. What were the makers expecting me to expect in Wendy's fateful (!!!) road trip? Guess this one is for the brilliants. And I'd be more than pleased to leave it to them. Those looking for entertainment (as per my exceptionally exceptional definition, of course), please be kind enough to browse the rest of the boundless sections of movies available.
  • axadntpron
    July 15, 2011
    axadntpron
    If you are like me, you have always been on the fence about Michelle Williams. Sure she is good, but I haven't seen anything from her that has really blown me away.
    That was until I saw Wendy and Lucy. It is a small little film that feels really influenced by the Italy's neo-real... read moreism movement. While the film itself is very good, it is William's performance that really makes this film soar. She isn't bombastic or over the top, yet she is able to convey so much heartache in a single look. So even if you aren't excited about the prospects of a very minimalist film, you should check it out for Williams's performance alone.
  • fb100000145236770
    June 9, 2011
    fb100000145236770
    Very quiet and subtle, "Wendy and Lucy" is a very touching movie. Michelle Williams gives a terrific performance as Wendy, a woman on a journey to Alaska when her car breaks down in Oregon and her dog, Lucy, goes missing. This is as true an indie movie as I've ever seen. Very ... read morelow budgeted and very few actors, but it is a pretty emotional movie. Who knew a movie about a woman looking for her dog could be so moving? Just goes to show you don't need 100 million dollar special effects to make a very solid movie. Kind of slow in spots, but it's only 80 minutes long. If your into indie movies or very good drama's then you should check this out.
  • sanjurosamurai
    February 11, 2011
    sanjurosamurai
    a charming but depressing and thinly plotted film about a girl who cant stay out of her own way. she plays the victim but really needs to simply take responsibility for herself. i enjoyed williams performance and the film was a delight, but wendy's decision making was continual... read morely frustrating as i awaited a redemption that never came. overall a solid but forgettable film.
  • gor41
    July 20, 2010
    gor41
    Certainly an aquired taste but worth persevering with as Williams is captivating . Inconsequential but touching, it floats along on the whisper of a plot. Refreshing alternative to Blockbuster bombast.
  • paulsandberg
    July 19, 2010
    paulsandberg
    An honestly shot film with a pacing that gives you plenty of time to think "there but for the grace of god, go I".

    Watching the American promise unravel in this no holds barred slice of life was a bit discomforting; but that was the film's intent - portraying a 20 ish young wo... read moreman of limited means with no safety net to fall back on - her only constant being her canine companion.

    When her car breaks down in a decaying slurb in Oregon she realizes that her limited funds can't be stretched to cover the repairs and the cost of getting her to Alaska (where there is the promise of a decent paying job). In order to stretch her funds she decides to do some minor shoplifting, which triggers an unfortunate series of events that include the loss of her pet.

    There is little else that goes on in the film, just little slices of life as Wendy tries to get her car repaired and recover her dog.

    Without her car (which doubles as her hotel room), she is forced to sleep in a park, where in a suspensful scene she is confronted by a crazed drifter who thankfully loses interest in her and doesn't attack or rob her. The following scene where she has a near breakdown in a Shell Station bathroom aptly portrays her terror at not only what she just escaped, but gives you a feeling of the pressure she is under simply trying to survive.

    Ultimately, she rediscovers her dog, but then makes a heartwrenching choice before hopping on a freight train headed north.

    The sparceness and directness of the filming does a wonderful job of amplifying the feeling of a woman detached, with the walls closing in; her simple plan thwarted by a deck stacked against her. There is humanity here, and with the exception of a clueless do-gooder stock boy, most of the people Wendy comes in contact with are good simple folk who, in their limited ways, try to help her or cut her a break - but can do little to stem the tide of bad luck that seems to follow her. When you're living on the edge, it doesn't take much of an effort to push you over - but here, while not offering redemption, Wendy somehow has the strength to continue to doggedly persue her plan.
  • neverteaseaweasel
    June 24, 2010
    neverteaseaweasel
    In theory Wendy and Lucy sounds rather awful: So, it's about like this burnt-out girl, and she's like stuck in this dumpy town and everybody there is cruel and stupid. or just 'weird', can't forget that. Then she loses her poor little dawg and as she tries to find it again, she r... read moreealizes that everybody is sweet and nice deep down inside and she's like been a bit of a bitch. The End.

    What makes the film great is while that is really the plot of the thing in a nutshell, there is so much more than a simple plot or message. While Wendy is obviously the most pathetic character, we can still understand those who are cruel to her, see thier view of things. At the same time, there is oppotunitiy to applaud those who are kind to her, when let's face it, most of us wouldn't have lifted a finger to help her. There are distinct 'nice' and 'mean' characters, but this is just determinded by how they affect Wendy. Who is to say that she is always in the right? We may be the hero of our own story, but that doesn't makes everyone else the villans. We could very well be the antagonist in their stories, after all. I love the realism of the setting, characters, etc. When described in words, the film sounds like it should be sappy, or at least lifetime channelish. This is not the case at all. It is truly a 'real', believable film. Every aspect takes hold and never lets go. This cannot be described in words, but it is what turns Wendy and Lucy from a contrived, preachy mess, to an artistic, optimistic masterpiece.
  • SirPant
    February 5, 2010
    SirPant
    Wendy and Lucy is a beautiful film. Subtle, minimalist, slow-paced, - my kind of film! The ending is heartbreaking, It's almost too sad for it to be a happy ending but that is exactly what it is. Without being preachy, Wendy and Lucy reminds us that times are tough and sometimes ... read morewe have to make tough decisions and huge sacrifices but by regaining a sense of integrity and raising up above conviction, everything can be alright in the end. Kelly Reichardt has succeeded in turning the mundane into an uplifting and heart-warming tale, that captures what being human is all about, beautifully at that.

View All Wendy and Lucy Reviews

Critic Reviews

Roger Moore
March 18, 2009
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Williams and Patton and the folks of this corner of Oregon serve up a slice of "indie" that, if it doesn't reach the level of "inspires," at least feels timely and true. Full Review

Lisa Kennedy
March 6, 2009
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post

Wendy and Lucy is quiet, deliberate filmmaking. See it knowing you will witness an idiosyncratic take on storytelling by a fundamentally independent filmmaker. Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz
February 26, 2009
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

Deliberately paced -- slow, even -- it's nevertheless an amazing, timely parable for increasingly desperate times. Full Review

Amy Biancolli
February 20, 2009
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

Wendy and Lucy is a short, sweet film with a premise as plain as they come: A girl and her dog drift into town. Full Review

Tom Long
February 13, 2009
Tom Long, Detroit News

The very definition of a small film, Wendy and Lucy nonetheless packs some serious wallop thanks to a quietly extraordinary performance by Michelle Williams. Full Review

Rick Groen
February 6, 2009
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

Such is the resonant magic of Kelly Reichardt's remarkable little film, one of those exercises in minimalism where every word matters, every shot counts, until the kernel expands and a whole world eme... Full Review

Colin Covert
February 6, 2009
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Wendy and Lucy, a minimalist character study starring Michelle Williams, is a deft, compact piece that makes every shot and moment count. Full Review

Peter Howell
February 6, 2009
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

The victories and insights gained in Wendy and Lucy are hard-won and small in stature, but they linger on the mind. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
January 30, 2009
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Wendy and Lucy -- a film that might have seemed faintly academic six months ago -- becomes an anxious expression of its historical moment. Full Review

Michael Phillips
January 30, 2009
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune

America is full of people like Wendy Carroll, the young woman at the center of director Kelly Reichardt's small, supple new film Wendy and Lucy. Full Review

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